A graphic code can include a large amount of information and is easy to be quickly identified by an electronic device, and therefore, the graphic code has already been used as a carrier for carrying information in an increasing number of scenarios. Generally, an electronic device disposed with a camera can acquire an external graphic code using the camera at any time in any place.
Currently, there is a method for distributing information in a graphic code, and the method may include using a camera on an electronic device to scan a graphic code; analyzing a scanned graphic code to obtain information that is carried in the graphic code and includes an identification code; detecting, in pre-stored application program identifiers, whether there is an appropriate application program identifier corresponding to the identification code of the graphic code; if there is an application program identifier corresponding to the identification code of the graphic code, starting an application program corresponding to the application program identifier, and processing information in the graphic code using the application program; and if there is not an application program identifier corresponding to the identification code of the graphic code, prompting, in a text form, a user with the information carried in the graphic code.
In a process of implementing the present invention, the inventor finds that the prior art has at least the following problem: Because the pre-stored application program identifiers are limited, for a graphic code acquired by an electronic device at any time in any place, a probability that an appropriate application program identifier can be found for the acquired graphic code is relatively low; as a result, a probability that information in a graphic code can be successfully processed is relatively low.